"Raymond’s eye for telling detail is very fine, as one expects of an accomplished writer, but to this she adds the informing eye of a natural historian of place.”— John Keeble, author of Nocturnal America

Recycle Your Rejection Letters

by Midge Raymond

Finally, something to do with all those rejection slips! The literary magazine Marginalia is offering a “Sad Bastard” discount on a copy of the magazine: simply mail in ten rejections and a dollar for your free issue. What a great deal.

And, in case you find that digging out those ten rejection slips is a little depressing, just know you’re not alone. Here are a few ways to commiserate with fellow rejected writers:

Read: Jon Friedman’s book Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped, and Canceled is a compilation of essays, jokes, sketches, cartoons, and articles rejected by venues from Saturday Night Live to Reader’s Digest, and was hailed by Publishers Weekly as “uplifting” and “fine, funny collaboration.”

Listen: Check out this NPR segment on famous rejected writers, from Jack Kerouac to George Orwell to Sylvia Plath (all turned down by Knopf). This will make any rejected writer feel a little better.

Visit:Rejection Collection posts rejection letters of all types, including those from literary agents, publishers, magazines, and art galleries — and invites you to submit. (NOTE: Be warned that the site doesn’t publish all submissions, so there exists the possibility that you could be rejected by a rejection letter web site, which might take you back to This Is Depressing).